Thanks for the info. I’ve been wondering about the r-x versions. I’ve a spread sheet that Kre’a posted early in the meta and it seemed to point to r-2 being the best mods. But I’m lucky to just get any 306 lethal 80 mod because all that seems to drop are 80a or 80b.

I didn’t know about the enhancements. The spread sheet was very vague on those. So your info will be really useful (not that I’ve got any of those at the moment)

Does the r-x versions you listed also correlate to the nimble enhancements too or are they different. At the moment mine are all nimble 80.

I am willing to sacrifice a little bit of wasted power or mastery to use in pvp. What should I be using first?

For alacrity, you should just focus on getting as close as possible to whatever value you want to hit without going under. There are various combinations for different values, and you have to factor augments in as well. For crit, because you don't need a specific number, you can go for the enhancements with the biggest stat pool, which are r-18 and r-19. You're trading crit for power by going to those, and the difference is very small overall. For capped content, you want the plain 80 (431 crit), or better yet Efficient Superior Enhancement R-1 (451 crit).

For alacrity, you should just focus on getting as close as possible to whatever value you want to hit without going under. There are various combinations for different values, and you have to factor augments in as well. For crit, because you don't need a specific number, you can go for the enhancements with the biggest stat pool, which are r-18 and r-19. You're trading crit for power by going to those, and the difference is very small overall. For capped content, you want the plain 80 (431 crit), or better yet Efficient Superior Enhancement R-1 (451 crit).

Damn, I’ve been deconstructing my efficient enhancements.

Damn, I’ve been deconstructing my efficient enhancements.

I mean, you probably don't need to sweat being perfectly min/maxed for capped pve content. The regular adept 80s should be totally fine.

I mean, you probably don't need to sweat being perfectly min/maxed for capped pve content. The regular adept 80s should be totally fine.

It gives me something to look/aim for when I get a drop of stuff. Otherwise I’m just deconstructing everything and I miss out on “RNG is exciting” (circa Ben Irving).

And thank you to both of you for you help and incites. I’m having a lot of fun running both set ups.

If I can just go off this Sorc topic for a second. What’s the stats for a Merc in pvp. After 3 years on the shelf, I’m in noob land again.

Nah lightning is still weak. it needs general ability damage buffs.

From a strict DPS perspective then yes, lingers are amongst the weakest in raw numbers: http://parsely.io/parser/stats. That, however, is mostly a PvE issue. For PvP lingers are now top 3-4 in most OP class along with sins, maras and opers. Only people as terrible as myself can not do damage with lingers right now, and that is sole a L2P issue on my part and has nothing to do with the class.

How are you people actually calling Lightning OP? Sure, they have a bit more DoT (lol) damage which helps them fluff numbers, but they still get absolutely smashed by so many classes. They can't stay in LOS of a Sniper, or they'll get eaten up. They can't kite a Mara/Jugg for long enough to actually make a difference. They might be able to go face to face with a Merc, or kite Sins around for a bit but they could do those even in 5.0. Their strongest attack is on a 10s CD and does what, 40k with the set bonus boost? What am I missing?

I came to this thread to get some info on PvP gearing my main Lightning Inq (I also have a Tele consular as my republic "main"). It's been interesting reading. I'm a [filthy] casual soloer so opportunities to get masses of tech fragments are limited.

Mycroft-Tarkin got my attention with his/her post above. I do a lot of PvP regs (not ranked; I can't cope with the stress) however, I've yet to see a benefit from the Gathering Storm set in PvP due to the cooldown required (in PvE situations, however it's excellent). Is there a particular build needed to benefit from this set in PvP? I'll avoid the mockery by not posting my choices. I actually replaced the GS set with a generic set which gives me more alacrity, damage and survive-ability. What am I missing about this set?

You're just wrong. Elemental convection pales in comparison to stormwatch in single target situations. You're just making **** up.

Ignoring the insults, I agree with this. I sucked myself into using Elemental convection because of the instance cast and mobility, as we lack many burst/instants in lightning however, I had a Stormwatch drop from a box and used it on my tele consular not realising what it was - I was amazed at how well it works compared with EC and of course it was equally good on my LS on whom I'd been using the EC tactical since I hit 75. I think I was mesmerised by the instant cast that EC gives but the damage is nothing special. With Stormwatch I saw both characters go consistently from middle to the top of the match end rankings. That can't be a coincidence. I really hope they don't decide it's an OP tactical and nerf it. I can, however see EC possibly working well with the Endless Offensive set which increases the damage of volt rush (but I don't raid so I won't have any chance at that).

I came to this thread to get some info on PvP gearing my main Lightning Inq (I also have a Tele consular as my republic "main"). It's been interesting reading. I'm a [filthy] casual soloer so opportunities to get masses of tech fragments are limited.

 

Mycroft-Tarkin got my attention with his/her post above. I do a lot of PvP regs (not ranked; I can't cope with the stress) however, I've yet to see a benefit from the Gathering Storm set in PvP due to the cooldown required (in PvE situations, however it's excellent). Is there a particular build needed to benefit from this set in PvP? I'll avoid the mockery by not posting my choices. I actually replaced the GS set with a generic set which gives me more alacrity, damage and survive-ability. What am I missing about this set?

 

 

Ignoring the insults, I agree with this. I sucked myself into using Elemental convection because of the instance cast and mobility, as we lack many burst/instants in lightning however, I had a Stormwatch drop from a box and used it on my tele consular not realising what it was - I was amazed at how well it works compared with EC and of course it was equally good on my LS on whom I'd been using the EC tactical since I hit 75. I think I was mesmerised by the instant cast that EC gives but the damage is nothing special. With Stormwatch I saw both characters go consistently from middle to the top of the match end rankings. That can't be a coincidence. I really hope they don't decide it's an OP tactical and nerf it. I can, however see EC possibly working well with the Endless Offensive set which increases the damage of volt rush (but I don't raid so I won't have any chance at that).

It's all about finding maximum synergy between tacticals, set bonuses, and utilities. In the case of Gathering Storm, it pairs exceptionally well with the Surging Speed utility. Surging Speed reduces the cooldown of Force Speed by 5 seconds and even resets it after Force Barrier. You're basically getting an extra Force Speed every minute thanks to this utility.

Elemental Convection is undeniably the best utility for Lightning in (edit: Regs) in almost all situations. Stormwatch only provides a 2k dps increase on a single target, and that's if you get to cast perfectly. Meanwhile, EC provides a ton of extra splash damage, additional roots, far more mobility, and far more instant attacks. The only time you'll do more damage with Stormwatch is if nobody is stacking at all and nobody is interrupting/LOSing you. I'd say Elemental Convection is objectively better more than 80 percent of the time.

Also, people don't realize that every time you refresh Affliction, you're forcing that first tick immediately - even if Affliction just ticked on the target. Over the course of a long battle, this adds up to a lot of extra dot ticks.

Thanks to Elemental Convection, Lightning's probably the third or fourth easiest spec to hit 20k with in a PvP situation (behind Lethality, Pyro, and maybe Veng/Hatred).

Elemental Convection is undeniably the best utility for Lightning in PvP in almost all situations. Stormwatch only provides a 2k dps increase on a single target, and that's if you get to cast perfectly. Meanwhile, EC provides a ton of extra splash damage, additional roots, far more mobility, and far more instant attacks. The only time you'll do more damage with Stormwatch is if nobody is stacking at all and nobody is interrupting/LOSing you. I'd say Elemental Convection is objectively better more than 80 percent of the time.

 

Also, people don't realize that every time you refresh Affliction, you're forcing that first tick immediately - even if Affliction just ticked on the target. Over the course of a long battle, this adds up to a lot of extra dot ticks.

 

Thanks to Elemental Convection, Lightning's probably the third or fourth easiest spec to hit 20k with in a PvP situation (behind Lethality, Pyro, and maybe Veng/Hatred).

Hoppin, have you played lightning sorc in solo ranked this season? Every single decent lightning sorc on NA does not use elemental convection all the time. The only sorc that does use elemental convection all the time is bad and has a bad rating to reflect it.

In this stealth meta, everyone almost always ends up spread all over the map between all the stealth outs and people kiting. There are very rarely targets clumped for elemental convection to be useful. The root on chain lightning, while useful, does not make it worth it for the loss in damage. Furthermore, if you want more mobility, eyrin's haste is the better option. If you're being tunneled or have to do a lot of chasing, it allows you to do much more damage, and certainly more burst, than elemental convection, especially since hardly anyone is taking force mobility anymore (if you can't get thundering blasts off, your damage is going to be terrible). If you doubt me on Eyrin's haste, ask Etude what tactical he's using.

Last, the highest dps I've seen anyone do on a sorc (myself and a few others), is 14-15k this season in solo ranked. That's mostly fluff. I regularly do 10-12k with stormwatch all single target, which is infinitely more useful. The reality is, elemental convection is a niche tactical that is mainly good in tank/heal games with melee in them.

Keep in mind, everything I've typed here is grounded in extensive experience playing lightning sorc in solo ranked this season. I've used all three tacticals a lot in a variety of situations. If you think something I've said is wrong, I'd like to hear an argument based in reality, not theorycrafting.

I was referring strictly to regs as per the OP's request. And no, I haven't touched solos since S4. In those kinds of all-dps matches you mention, I'd switch to Stormwatch at points - and I'd probably experiment with EH in situations where I was the kill target. In 4's, there's a chance I'd switch to Stormwatch with certain comps.

Gotcha, didn't realize you were only talking about regs.

Gotcha, didn't realize you were only talking about regs.

Yeah I should've clarified since you and the other guy were talkin' 4's anyway. Heck, I'll piggyback on what you said and mention that cleaving in all dps solo ranked matches can literally cost the team the match if the sorc is breaking mezzes.

In this stealth meta, everyone almost always ends up spread all over the map between all the stealth outs and people kiting. There are very rarely targets clumped for elemental convection to be useful. The root on chain lightning, while useful, does not make it worth it for the loss in damage. Furthermore, if you want more mobility, eyrin's haste is the better option. If you're being tunneled or have to do a lot of chasing, it allows you to do much more damage, and certainly more burst, than elemental convection, especially since hardly anyone is taking force mobility anymore (if you can't get thundering blasts off, your damage is going to be terrible). If you doubt me on Eyrin's haste, ask Etude what tactical he's using.

Interesting. And what you adv to take instead of Force mobility?

Interesting. And what you adv to take instead of Force mobility?

Skillful: Sith Defiance (3% dmg reduction), Empty Body (+5% healing), Torturous Tactics (better hardstun).

I've seen some take Corrupted Flesh (15% dmg reduction on dots), but I don't think that's nearly as good as Torturous Tactics unless you somehow know for sure you're facing multiple dot specs.

Masterful: There are 5 viable utilities in this category.

Suppression (25% dmg reduction for 6 sec), Dark Resilience (dmg reduction on pull and increased heal from unnatural preservation), Surging Speed (reduced cd on force speed, polarity shift speed), Backlash (stun bubbles), Haunted Dreams (instant whirlwind).

The only one of those that is a must take for lightning is Surging Speed. You can make good arguments for all of the others depending on preference/playstyle.

Heroic: There are 5 viable utilities in this category.

Shapeless Spirit (30% dmg reduction while stunned), Emersion (force speed removes movement effects), Force mobility (moving thundering blast), Corrupted Barrier (bubbles and barrier heals), Unnatural Vigor (reduced cd of unnatural preservation and 15% dmg reduction for 6 seconds).

Of these, Shapeless Spirit is a must take, and I wouldn't recommend Force Mobility as mentioned. Choosing 2 from the remaining 3 is again down to preference/playstyle.

Heroic: There are 5 viable utilities in this category.

Shapeless Spirit (30% dmg reduction while stunned), Emersion (force speed removes movement effects), Force mobility (moving thundering blast), Corrupted Barrier (bubbles and barrier heals), Unnatural Vigor (reduced cd of unnatural preservation and 15% dmg reduction for 6 seconds).

Of these, Shapeless Spirit is a must take, and I wouldn't recommend Force Mobility as mentioned. Choosing 2 from the remaining 3 is again down to preference/playstyle.

I was thinking Emersion is also must have ?_?

I was thinking Emersion is also must have ?_?

Some people think it is. Personally, I don't use it.

Some people think it is. Personally, I don't use it.

Thank you. And one more question. Do you feel that now in 6.0 Sorc is less inmpactfull in the end of Arena? I usually find myself struggling to perform in 2v2 or 1v1. While in previous season I was more usefull though I was playing Madness. With all stealth meta it's extremely hard to be usefull... if I'm against Mara, Sin or Operative it's always a lose. And I've never seen Sorc to carry 1v1 wirh this 3 class in the end of Arena. Sin will burst you out of stealth, Maras do insane damage while immune and can vanish like 5 times and Operatives heals are insane... Is it really hard for Sorc or I'm doing wrong something?

Thank you. And one more question. Do you feel that now in 6.0 Sorc is less inmpactfull in the end of Arena? I usually find myself struggling to perform in 2v2 or 1v1. While in previous season I was more usefull though I was playing Madness. With all stealth meta it's extremely hard to be usefull... if I'm against Mara, Sin or Operative it's always a lose. And I've never seen Sorc to carry 1v1 wirh this 3 class in the end of Arena. Sin will burst you out of stealth, Maras do insane damage while immune and can vanish like 5 times and Operatives heals are insane... Is it really hard for Sorc or I'm doing wrong something?

you are not doing wrong those classes are the sorc anti class so to speak

operative and sin have insane opener burst and they have things that can negate your yellow attack entirely as your attack is mostly all yellow attack , mara also have obfucate and vanish

so if you want to win this class you need to out last their dcd, and its aint easy since they can vanish and heal to full

you are not doing wrong those classes are the sorc anti class so to speak

operative and sin have insane opener burst and they have things that can negate your yellow attack entirely as your attack is mostly all yellow attack , mara also have obfucate and vanish

so if you want to win this class you need to out last their dcd, and its aint easy since they can vanish and heal to full

Pretty much this. Against an operative, you have no chance unless they're terrible. Against a sin, you can only win if they have no stealth outs left. Against a good mara, you need to either pop them from stealth or get lucky chasing them perfectly. Those three classes are the three best counters to sorc right now.

That being said, that's not really much different from 5.x. All three of those classes could win 1v1s against madness sorcs too.

Pretty much this. Against an operative, you have no chance unless they're terrible. Against a sin, you can only win if they have no stealth outs left. Against a good mara, you need to either pop them from stealth or get lucky chasing them perfectly. Those three classes are the three best counters to sorc right now.

 

That being said, that's not really much different from 5.x. All three of those classes could win 1v1s against madness sorcs too.

Yes, they could but not like in this 6.0 it's almost 100% lose And it's always this 3 classes in the end of every Arena. So I feel useless. Is there a reason to play something except Mara, Sin, Oper?

Yes, they could but not like in this 6.0 it's almost 100% lose And it's always this 3 classes in the end of every Arena. So I feel useless. Is there a reason to play something except Mara, Sin, Oper?

you still can perform in arena since not always you be the focus target all the time and remember there is PT and sniper and juggernaut that when they in arena a focus target for sure

you still can perform in arena since not always you be the focus target all the time and remember there is PT and sniper and juggernaut that when they in arena a focus target for sure

Yes. But if you are not a focus then it will ends 2v2 or 1v1 if teams are somehow similar skill. And when it happends then Sorcs are doomed that's why I feel so bad playing Sorc in 6.0 Like, yeah I can help to kill 2-3 of enemy team players but when it's near the end of match I can't help against trinity Sin, OP, Mara T_T

I was thinking Emersion is also must have ?_?

It is for solo ranked and regs. Take it. @JediMasterAlex gets shut down by good players because they know he doesn't take emersion and abuse him for it.

It is for solo ranked and regs. Take it. @JediMasterAlex gets shut down by good players because they know he doesn't take emersion and abuse him for it.

Everyone gets shut down by good players. I've seen Etude die having taken merely 400k multiple times, and plenty of other times where he is reduced to kiting and doing minimal damage until he dies, just like everyone else. Against a lot of maras and ops, life is difficult for even the best sorcs. You've also only played a handful of games on your sorc in 6.0 as far as I'm aware. Whatever experience you've had in previous seasons isn't all that relevant when the meta in 6.0 is so different.

My argument against emersion is that it simply isn't useful as frequently as the damage reduction and reduced cooldown of unnatural preservation, which you consistently get a guaranteed benefit from. The amount of times I'm rooted and wish I had emersion to break it with force speed is very small (also, force speed is an offensive cooldown now, so it's not always even up when you need it regardless). If you're someone that really enjoys kiting and doesn't ever want to be hampered, I can understand taking it, but it's certainly not a must take.

Some people think it is. Personally, I don't use it.

Which utilities do you actually use yourself?

Where do you get eyrin's haste from? I don’t remember seeing it on the class vendor